Open bottom stretchable shoe cover

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a shoe cover which has an open ended bottom. When the shoe cover made from stretchable fabric is placed over a shoe, the top portion of the shoe is covered while the sole of the shoe is exposed. An opening at the top allows for the foot to have access to the shoe and at the bottom so the sole will have traction. A band of stretch material secures the cover across the instep and around the bottom edge of the shoe with no slip strips.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shoe cover for an athletic shoe, a casual shoe, a Croc shaped shoe or an Ugg shaped boot. The shoe cover of the present invention allows the sole of the shoe to be exposed so the wearer of the shoe will retain the ability to have traction. The intended use of the present invention is to decorate footwear to make it more attractive for the wearer and enable various forms of expression through different fabric patterns and designs, embellishments, attachments, team logos and other licensed trademarks.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent upon further review of the following specification, claims and drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shoe cover for personal expression. The present invention relates to a shoe cover that has an open-ended bottom. When the shoe cover is placed over a shoe, the top portion of the shoe is covered while the sole of the shoe is exposed. The shoe cover is made from stretch fabric and fits snuggly over the shoe with an opening at the top for the foot to have access to the shoe and at the bottom so the sole will have traction. A band of stretch elastic or rubber type material secures the cover around the bottom edge of the shoe with no-slip grip strips.

In some cases, an opening at the back of the shoe cover is secured by Velcro. In some cases, the top of the shoe cover or the back of the cover may have Velcro attached so that decorative items with Velcro may be attached and easily removed. In some cases, the shoe cover may have a pocket on the top that would have Velcro on both sides of the opening to the pocket. In some cases, the shoe cover may have holes for the shoe laces to be inserted through and/or fake laces on top of the shoe cover. In some cases, the shoe cover may have a curtain rod type casing that encircles the entire shoe cover just above the band of stretch rubber or elastic which would enable a glow in the dark necklace to be inserted into said casing. In some cases, the shoe cover may have a rubber strap that goes across the instep of the shoe and is attached on either side of the shoe cover at the stretch band. This would cover part of the sole of the shoe but would not interfere with traction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a shoe cover according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of another shoe cover according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a shoe cover according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a back view of a shoe cover according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top and side view of another shoe cover according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a top view of another shoe cover according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a top view of another shoe cover according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of another shoe cover according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the shoe cover of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For purposes of description only, the shoe cover of the present invention will be described in conjunction with its use in casual living applications.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an athletic shoe 20 which may be used in conjunction with the present invention. The shoe cover 32 of the present invention may be made with any kind of material that has stretch qualities which may include Lycra or Spandex. The shoe cover has an open top end 21 which is smaller than the open bottom end 22. The stretch band 34 which encircles the bottom edge of the shoe cover may be made with any kind of material that has stretch properties like silicone, rubber, elastic or elastane. The stretch band 34 may be sewn, glued or bonded to the shoe cover 32.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a boot 18 which may be used in conjunction with the present invention. In this embodiment the shoe cover 32 is provided with securement means 36 on the toe portion and on the upper boot 18 portion by attaching a non-slip grip strip 36 to the stretch band 34 and the top of the shoe cover 32 which may have an elastic casing 38.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown an athletic shoe 20 as shown in FIG. 1 which shows how the shoe cover 32 fits over the upper 30 and removably attaches to the toe 26 of the sole 24 with the non-slip grip strip 36 which is attached to the stretch band 34. The non-slip grip strip 36 may be sewn, glued or bonded to the stretch band 34. Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown an athletic shoe 20 as shown in FIG. 1 which shows the back detail of the shoe cover 32 and stretch band 34 which in some cases has a back closure 12. The heel of the shoe 28 is accessed through the back closure 12 which has Velcro 40 attached to the shoe cover 32 and the stretch band 34 if necessary for means of securement. The Velcro 40 may be sewn, glued or bonded to the back closure 12.

Referring to FIG. 5, the shoe cover 32 which is shown on a casual shoe 14 may in another embodiment of the present invention have a tubular casing 44 that is created by sewing extra fabric above the stretch band 34 in a way that encircles the entire shoe and leaves an opening 42 so that a glow in the dark necklace 46 may be inserted into the casing 44 and be pushed through to encircle the shoe cover 32.

Referring to FIG. 6, the shoe cover 32 which is shown on a casual shoe 14 may in another embodiment of the present invention have holes or openings 48 in which to insert shoe laces 60 or it may in another embodiment of the present invention have fake shoe laces 50 on the top of the shoe cover 32.

Referring to FIG. 7, the shoe cover 32 which is shown on a casual shoe 14 may in another embodiment of the present invention have a pocket 54 which would be created by sewing an additional piece of fabric 54 to the top of the shoe cover 32 and attaching Velcro 40 to the opening of the pocket 54 by sewing, gluing or bonding. Still another embodiment of the present invention would be created by attaching Velcro 40 to the top or the back of the shoe cover 32 so that a small to medium size decoration 52 with Velcro 40 could be attached to the Velcro 40 on the shoe cover 32.

Referring to FIG. 8, the shoe cover 32 which is shown on a Croc type shoe 16 is another embodiment of the present invention which has a non-slip grip strip 36 affixed to the stretch band 34 which is connected to the upper shoe cover 32 by sewing, gluing or bonding. The shoe cover 32 may have a strip of Velcro 40 that extends from the side edge of the stretch band 34 to the other side edge of the stretch band 34 enabling a long decoration 56 with Velcro 40 to be attached to the shoe cover 32. The long decoration 56 and the Velcro 40 may be attached by sewing, gluing or bonding.

Referring to FIG. 9, the shoe cover 32 which is shown on an athletic shoe 20 from FIG. 1 shows the bottom 22 of the shoe and the rubber strap 58 covers the instep 10 of the shoe which allows the sole 24 to still have full exposure. The strap 58 is connected to the bottom side edge of the stretch band 34 on one side at the instep 10 and the bottom side edge of the stretch band 34 on the other side at the instep 10 which serves to help secure the shoe cover 32 over the shoe 20. The strap 58 may be attached by gluing or bonding. 

1. A shoe cover for use in conjunction with a shoe having a sole portion attached to an upper portion comprising: A piece of stretch material with an open top and an open bottom end, said open bottom end defining a toe portion and a heel portion separated by opposed side portions, said open bottom end having a stretch band for retainment around the edge of said open bottom end for retaining said open bottom end of said shoe cover above the edge of the shoe such that the sole of the shoe is still exposed.
 2. A shoe cover for use in conjunction with a shoe having a sole portion attached to an upper portion comprising: A piece of stretch material with an open top and an open bottom end, said open bottom end defining a toe portion and a heel portion separated by opposed side portions, said open bottom end having a stretch band for retainment around the edge of said open bottom end for retaining said open bottom end of said shoe cover above the edge of the shoe such that the sole of the shoe is still exposed with attachment means on said toe portion and said heel portions and said side portions of said shoe cover would be non-slip grip strips which would be affixed to said stretch band for retainment means for attaching said heel portion and said toe portion and said side portions of said shoe cover to the shoe.
 3. A shoe cover for use in conjunction with a shoe having a sole portion attached to an upper portion comprising: A piece of stretch material with an open top and an open bottom end, said open bottom end defining a toe portion and a heel portion separated by opposed side portions, said open bottom end having a stretch band for retainment around the edge of said open bottom end for retaining said open bottom end of said shoe cover above the edge of the shoe such that the sole of the shoe is still exposed and above the band that encircles the bottom edge of the shoe cover is a tubular casing that encircles the shoe cover with openings at the back of the shoe cover that has attachment means on said toe portion and said heel portions and said side portions of said shoe cover would be non-slip grip strips which would be affixed to said stretch band for retainment means for attaching said heel portion and said toe portion and said side portions of said shoe cover to the shoe. 